2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 79 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Philosophy Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in philosophy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
For return on investment in philosophy, no school beat University Of Missouri St Louis this year. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. In-state tuition and fees average $15,120, while out-of-state students pay about $37,620. Students borrow a median of $25,943 to complete the philosophy program here. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $53,079. That is a strong return on a $25,943 median debt. University Of Missouri St Louis admits about 63% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Minnesota Twin Cities one of the best values for philosophy. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $31,652. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
University Of Mary came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Set in the rural area of Bismarck, University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $22,356 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,983 to complete the philosophy program here. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $65,565. That is a strong return on a $26,983 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Missouri Columbia earned it the #4 place for philosophy. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $21,818 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $53,134. That is a strong return on a $21,818 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Washington University In St Louis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in philosophy, landing the #5 spot this year. Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis. In-state tuition and fees average $65,790. Students borrow a median of $17,553 to complete the philosophy program here. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $68,303. That is a strong return on a $17,553 median debt. The acceptance rate is 12%.
University Of Iowa landed the #6 spot for philosophy value this year. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $26,260 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $57,375. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
Saint Louis University Main Campus landed the #7 spot for philosophy value this year. Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $55,760 in tuition and fees. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $10,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from Saint Louis University Main Campus generally make around $65,599. Set against $10,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value philosophy schools. Located in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $54,398. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $18,201 in student loans. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $65,183. That is a strong return on a $18,201 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Narrow Philosophy Schools by State
View All Philosophy Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 79 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
